Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Hatelton, Hateltun 1086 DB

• Hathelton(a) p.1156 YChvi,13 1333 Riev

• Ageltunum 1160 Riev

• Hageltune 13 Riev

• Hagelton 1172–94,l.12,c.1230 YDi

• Hadelton(am) 1203–6 Riev 1207–27,c.1227 YDi 1228 Pat 1234,1235 FF 1259 Ass

• Halton 13 YDi 1268 Baild 1333 Riev 1543 Testvi

Etymology

The variant spellings can best be explained as developments of an OE  haðel -tūn , with -ð - becoming -d -, -t - or being lost through AN  influence; -g - is an occasional hiatus-filling consonant replacing the lost -ð - (cf. a similar use of -h - in High Melton i, 76 and Bolton i, 83 supra ). The first el. is possibly the same word haðel that we have in Haddlesey 18supra , where it is suggested to be an OE  *hāðel in some such sense as 'heather' or 'heathland'. This place, which was in the DB manor of Bingley, has been identified (Skaife, DB 173) with Harden infra , but the two names were long in contemporary use, and could not denote the same place; in any case it was separated from Harden by Merebroc (YD i); this reference at least puts it on the south side of the R. Aire. v. Addenda.